Group items tagged

"TVET experts from the European Union met in Brussels on 17 November to discuss the preliminary findings of a study on the Internationalization of TVET in EU countries, and the European Commission's role in this. The purpose of the study is to map policies and practices from the EU, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Australia and five International Organizations that support international cooperation in TVET, including UNESCO. A set of recommendations for future actions at the European and national levels will be included in the study's final report. UNESCO was represented at the meeting by Katerina Ananiadou, programme specialist at UNESCO-UNEVOC. The study was commissioned by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture and carried out by International http://www.icfi.com. The Commission and the contractors gathered feedback on the preliminary findings from national and international experts. Their feedback will be incorporated in the final version of the study, which is due to be published in December 2014."

"The European Commission is widening its search for experts from all fields to participate in shaping the agenda of Horizon 2020, the European Union's future funding programme for research and innovation. The experts of the advisory groups will provide high quality and timely advice for the preparation of the Horizon 2020 calls for project proposals. The Commission services plan to set up a certain number of Advisory Groups covering the Societal Challenges and other specific objectives of Horizon 2020. To reach the broadest range of individuals and actors with profiles suited to contribute to the European Union's vision and objectives for Horizon 2020, including striving for a large proportion of newcomers, and to gain consistent and consolidated advice of high quality, the Commission is calling for expressions of interest with the aim of creating lists of high level experts that will participate in each of these groups. "

"After Brussels 2008, Rome 2009, Gijon 2010, Gdansk 2011, and Gothenburg 2012, the 2013 European Maritime Day will be held in Malta. The European Maritime Day conference in Malta shall be held on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd of May 2013 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, the capital. The main theme of the European Maritime Day 2013 Conference will focus on coastal development and sustainable maritime tourism in the wider context of Blue Growth. It will be an occasion to reflect, at high level, on how to make Blue Growth happen through sustainable tourism, connectivity and coastal management. A special focus will be made on the Mediterranean Region."

With three-quarters of all stocks being overfished, there is a general consensus that there is a need to reform the European Union's (EU) fisheries policy. Over the past two years the European Commission (EC) has outlined far-reaching policy proposals which hope to achieve long-term sustainability of fishing stock within Europe. Part of the proposals include the introduction of the "European Maritime and Fisheries Fund" (EMFF). The policy, which complements the EC's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), seeks to introduce a new fund for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for the period 2014-2014 and aims to deliver growth, jobs and sustainable fisheries ring fencing €6.5 billion for the financial period.

What are the priorities of the Practitioners' Network for European Development Cooperation? The group meets annually to discuss how to put aid policy into practice, and includes 13 member organisations who account for 70 per cent of the official development assistance of the European Union.

"The model of dual vocational education and training is currently attracting considerable attention. Demand is rising worldwide, and there has been a strong increase in the amount of media reporting. The main factors driving public attention are the high rates of youth unemployment in some European countries and fears of an impending shortage of skilled workers. On the basis of the way in which it links learning and work and schools and companies, the dual training system in Germany appears to be a successful model for the structuring of the transition from school to working life. But can it be developed into a model for the whole of Europe? Large numbers of new bilateral cooperation agreements are currently being set up to investigate how company-based and school-based learning can be better combined within the respective national context. This approach is being further developed at a European level within the scope of the "European Training Alliance". Endeavours to reduce youth unemployment include modernisation of vocational education and training systems in accordance with a model of company-related VET."

"The largest European Commission research project is being developed to enhance the European aquaculture production by removing production bottlenecks of emerging species, producing new products and accessing new markets. It is Diversify project, which is funded under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission and had its kickoff meeting at the Hellenic Center for Marine Research in Greece in January 2014. Coordinated by Dr. Constantinos C Mylonas of the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, a total of 38 partners from Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Israel, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany and Hungary have participated in this 5-year-long research. The Netherlands is represented by Wageningen University's DLO, The National Institute for Fisheries Studies and the Technical University of Eindhoven."

"(20/05/2014) This year's European Maritime Day Conference held over the 19 & 20 May in Bremen, saw industry experts and policy makers from across Europe come together to discuss how innovation and research in the maritime economy can drive a European growth and jobs recovery whilst securing a sustainable future for Europe's seas. The main conclusions drawn by participants included: There is a vast potential for jobs and sustainable growth in the maritime economy. To exploit it we need to invest more in knowledge and innovation and focus on placing sustainability at the heart of Blue Growth. The issues related to seas and oceans can only be addressed at international level - more global governance is of paramount importance. The EU's Maritime Spatial Planning and Maritime Security Strategy are good examples of what can be achieved. Next year's European Maritime Day will be held by Piraeus, Greece, in May 2015."

The next Brussels Development Briefing on "Global food systems, local impact: the role of agribusiness and development partnerships in advancing African agriculture" will take place Tuesday 25th November 2014 (9h-13h) at the ACP Secretariat (451 Avenue Georges Henri, 1200 Brussels, room C). The transformation of the African agri-business sector is a key challenge to achieve food security and economic development. A differentiated approach to partnerships, based on the development of competitive local private sectors, is essential to boosting agricultural development in Africa. In this context, the objective of this Brussels Briefing is to discuss strategies and approaches for harnessing the potential of development partnerships with the private sector to catalyse market development and productivity in African countries. The outcome of this meeting should be a better understanding of the needs and constraints of the local agricultural sector and strengthen linkages between private sector and development cooperation. At the European level, the meeting would contribute to the development of a framework for dialogue and effective joint action with the private sector. Speakers will include the European Commisison (DG Agri and DG Devco), Yara, the Farmers organizations (SACAU, EAFF), some EU agribusiness groups operating in Africa, European Investment Bank, BMZ, AUC

Al Idrisi II is a program of short-term academic mobility for nationals of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and the European Union. The program supports undergraduate, doctoral, post-doctoral, and staff mobility. The "International Cooperation Cells" define subject areas that include salinization of agricultural soils, non-conventional sources of irrigation water for olive growing, environment and renewable energy, and many others across the sciences and humanities. The application deadline is 12 January 2016.

On a regular basis, the AQUAEXCEL project invites proposals from European research groups for scientific research that utilises the facilities of any of the participating Aquaculture Research Infrastructures. The AQUAEXCEL project unites major aquaculture experimental facilities with capacity to undertake experimental trials on a selection of commercially important fish aquaculture species and system types. These facilities are made available to the research community for Transnational Access (TNA) with the support of the European Union 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (Infrastructures). The facilities available cover the entire range of production systems (recirculation, flow‐through, cage, hatchery and pond systems); environments (freshwater and marine, cold, temperate and warm water); scales (small, medium and industrial scale); fish species (salmon, trout, sea bass, sea bream, cod, common carp etc.); and fields of expertise (nutrition, physiology, health and welfare, genetics, engineering, monitoring and management technologies).

"The 2016 annual meeting of the European Forum on Agricultural Research for Development (EFARD), organised in collaboration with the Platform for African-European partnership on Agricultural Research for Development (PAEPARD), brought together research and non-research professionals from Western, Central/Eastern Europe and Africa, to debate on the future of Users'-led research and innovation partnerships (MSHIP)."

"Young people from all corners of the world, aged 21 to 26, are invited by the European Commission to take part in the Young Leaders Programme at this year's European Development Days (EDD 2017). The event is Europe's leading forum on international cooperation and development and it will take place in Brussels on 7 and 8 June."

"La collaboration avec l'Afrique dans le domaine des sciences, de la technologie et de l'innovation s'est renforcée ces dernières années. Toutefois, la recherche reste encore souvent financée au titre de la coopération au développement et le dernier mot revient en fin de compte aux bailleurs de fonds extérieurs. L'intérêt augmente dès lors, en Afrique, en faveur du financement d'activités de recherche correspondant à des stratégies et priorités propres au continent. Le projet ERAfrica (European Research Area Network for Africa - Developing African-European joint collaboration for Science and Technology) de l'Union européenne répond à cette préoccupation. Il facilite la mise en réseau de bailleurs de fonds européens et africains en faveur de la recherche et encourage les appels à projets conjoints pour promouvoir des collaborations sur le long terme entre des États membres et/ou associés de l'UE et des Etats africains. "

Download n° 10 - Spring-Summer 2014 Putting learning into practice In 2006, just eight years ago, the European Commission held a first transnational meeting in Oporto, Portugal, to launch a new "territorial approach" to addressing the challenges faced by Europe's fisheries. Axis 4, as it became known, was born and in 2014 we are starting to see the results and learn from this first experiment in local development for fisheries communities. Zoom: Peer-to-peer learning and mentoring Three examples from Sweden. Report: Partners of the sea Forging a common maritime identity through animation and collective project support in Marennes Oléron (Poitou-Charentes, France). People: Rita Pamplona Report: Axis 4 of the EFF, at the forefront of sustainable development in Romania Two examples in the Danube Delta and South Dobrogea. Four innovative, area-based development projects in fisheries areas. Spotlight:Towards a successful implementation of Axis 4 A study on Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) in 15 Member States estimates that considerable employment benefits and some important qualitative results have already been achieved by FLAGs and beneficiaries.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is the single point of contact for all EU citizens who wish to work for the European Institutions.

International Cooperation and Development offers job opportunities at its Brussels' headquarters, as well as in EU delegations based around the world. The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is the single point of contact for all EU citizens who wish to work for the European Institutions.

"The Erasmus Mundus International Masters in Rural Development (IMRD) programme offers the opportunity to study international visions on rural development to students both from within as outside of the European Union. Students are offered the opportunity to become a specialist in integrated rural development, through a two year master programme jointly organised by six European leading institutes in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, in collaboration with several partners in the United States, China, Ecuador, India and South Africa."

"Welcome to the online application process for the FUTURE LEADERS programme at European Development Days 2015! We are looking for 12 extraordinary young people ages 21-26, from across the world with proven commitment and community engagement to represent the powerful impact that youth have in the development field. The winners will be 'movers and shakers' in their communities and countries who are helping to solve the universal challenges outlined in the EDD programme. Debate with Global Development Actors As a FUTURE LEADER, you will speak in the auditorium panel discussions, along with key political leaders, and have the opportunity to present your story to the audience, engaging with the delegations of governments and international organisations. Prior and during the forum, the FUTURE LEADERS will have the opportunity to visit the EU institutions, meet relevant development policy-makers and present practices from their regions."

"The debate is intended to be an open exchange of views among high level political personalities on how the future relations between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries should look like after the expiry of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement in 2020. The Joint Communication "Towards a renewed partnership with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries", sets out the main ideas for a revitalised political partnership with ACP countries, focussing on common interests and going beyond the sole aim of development policy and donor-recipient paradigm. Distinguished speakers, representing both the ACP regions and the EU, will gather together to share their expectations, views and recommendations regarding the future of the ACP-EU relations, focusing on which are the key priorities and the biggest challenges ahead. This session will also provide the opportunity to reflect on how to make the current relationship fit for delivering on common challenges and mutual interests in an interconnected and globalised world. Remaining time would be devoted to questions and interventions from the audience. "